


put your arms around me, and I’m home

by brilliantbanshee



Series: Season 2 Codas [4]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: M/M, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Post-Episode: s02e03 Hold The Line, episode coda, spoilers for 2x03, the boys are being soft again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:42:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29162856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brilliantbanshee/pseuds/brilliantbanshee
Summary: When TK goes home, he goes to Carlos. It isn’t even a question.---Coda to episode 2x03
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Series: Season 2 Codas [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2169987
Comments: 20
Kudos: 260
Collections: 9-1-1 Lone Star ▶ Carlos Reyes / Tyler Kennedy "TK" Strand





	put your arms around me, and I’m home

**Author's Note:**

> A little different from my usual, but this episode called for a little softness. 
> 
> Title from "Arms" by Christina Perri

When TK goes home, he goes to Carlos. It isn’t even a question.

He pauses for a moment on Carlos’s doorstep, debating if he should knock. He knows he has keys, he knows Carlos is fine with him showing up. But after nearly a week apart, after seemingly endless days without more than a few texts and some quick phone calls, he wonders if just letting himself in would be too much. 

He’s still pondering when the decision is made for him. 

The door opens to reveal Carlos: rumpled and tired looking with some fairly impressive bedhead, yet it’s the best thing TK has seen in a week. 

Carlos’s eyes drink in the sight of him just as eagerly and it’s with a start that TK realizes that he’s still in his soot-covered clothes, no doubt reeking of smoke and sweat and exhaustion. 

Carlos is on him before he can say anything, before he can even begin to form an apology. He takes a step and meets him on the stoop, pulling him into his embrace and TK could melt at the familiarity of it, at the comfort his touch brings. 

It feels like home. 

They move inside as one and only once the door is shut behind them does Carlos take a step back, taking in the sight of TK and the state he’s in. 

“I’m sorry,” TK mutters self-consciously, “I should have gotten cleaned up first. I know I look awful and I can’t smell much better…” 

But Carlos shakes his head, interrupting him, “you here and in one piece is the best thing I’ve seen all week. A little soot isn’t going to change that.” 

TK smiles at him and when Carlos smiles back, he feels lighter. It’s his voice and his presence and the warmth in his eyes all combined that do more than anything else in the past week has and standing here in the familiar confines of the living room, he feels content. His dad is alive, his team is safe. San Angelo is no longer on fire and he is here with Carlos. Things look better than they have in a long time. 

“How’s your dad?” Carlos asks and TK has to take a moment to realize why he’s surprised. 

“He’s fine, how did you…?” 

“Your mom.” 

TK raises an eyebrow at that, “Have you been texting my mother, Carlos Reyes?” 

“Of course I have, Grace too. We’ve all been pretty worried back here in Austin, you know. It’s not fun to be left on the sideline. I much prefer when I’m right up on the line with you.” 

TK smiles, rubbing a hand down the arm resting on his hip, “I like when you’re with me too, but someone had to stay behind to make sure that the city was safe.” 

“What does the city matter if you're not in it?” 

Carlos’s words were teasing, but there was still a sincerity in them that took TK’s breath away.

“As much as I missed you, I’m glad you weren’t there,” TK admits, “I prefer it when I know you’re safe.” 

“I agree,” Carlos murmured, leaning over to press a kiss to the top of TK’s head, “so I would really appreciate it if the universe could stop throwing so many catastrophes in your way.” 

TK rolls his eyes fondly, moving his hands up so they are intertwined behind Carlos’s back, “Given the way this year is going I don’t think that is going to be the case, but for what it’s worth I agree with you.” 

“Did my adrenaline junkie boyfriend just say he wanted  _ quiet _ ? I don’t believe it.” 

“Well you better, because quiet means I get to spend more time with you.” 

“I do like the sound of that,” Carlos agreed with a grin. 

“Figured you might,” TK quipped lightly, but the effect was ruined by the yawn he couldn’t stop and Carlos’s demeanor shifted, his grin fading and replaced by a concerned look, “How much sleep have you gotten in the past week?” 

“Not much,” TK admits, “an hour or two here and there, when we had the chance.” 

Carlos pulls away from him and TK makes a noise of protest before Carlos chuckles, rolling his eyes and using their still intertwined hands pull TK with him, “let’s get you in the shower, and then we can go to bed.”

“You look like you already had a head start,” TK notes with a nod to the bedhead that Carlos manages to pull off so well. 

“I fell asleep on the couch earlier,” Carlos admitted sheepishly. 

“You should have gone to bed, I would have let myself in.”

“I wanted to see you the moment you got here, I didn’t plan on sleeping.” 

Carlos’s voice was nonchalant, as if the words he was saying were normal, expected. As if each one didn’t send a thrill through TK’s heart, making it ache with affection for this man. As if he was not the most wonderful person TK had ever known. Sometimes he wished Carlos would see what a gift he was. 

They entered the bathroom and when Carlos handed TK a towel after turning on the water, he shook his head. 

“You’re coming in with me,” he said matter of factly. 

“TK, you’re so tired you can hardly stand. We’re not…” 

TK cut him off with a quick kiss. It was short and tender, and when he met Carlos’s eyes he desperately hoped that he could read the depth of affection he felt for him, “We don’t have to, I just want you with me. Please?” 

Carlos never could say no to him when he looked at him like that, and they both knew it. So he pulled off his shirt before helping TK with his own and soon they were in the warm water together; Carlos helping TK to scrub off the soot and grime, to wash away the lingering tension and fear. They stood in the warm water for far longer than they usually would, each desperate to absorb the presence of the other just as much as the warmth of the shower. TK let it sink into his aching muscles, and he let the familiar comfort of Carlos’s hands ground him. For the past week, he had spent nearly every waking moment on alert. He had slept fitfully if at all, always ready to jump back into action, to deal with the latest episode of the catastrophe. Always bracing for the next bit of bad news. 

Through it all he had had his team fall back on, but he had also had the thought of Carlos - of this - to sustain him. It was what he had thought of as he lay on his cot, eyes transfixed by the haze of smoke drifting through the air. He had thought of Carlos and their small touches, he had thought of the little routines and rituals they had slowly developed over their months together. 

He had thought of home, and came to realize that Carlos and home were one in the same. 

Now they lay in Carlos’s bed, wrapped up in comfortable sweats and blankets and TK thought of it again. He could feel the tug of sleep pulling at him and he would let it come for him, but he needed some time to commit this scene to memory. He wanted to be able to recall this feeling and this sight: the warmth of the bed and the arms around him, the sight of Carlos’s head resting beside his own, his warm eyes and his smile focused on TK. He wanted this ingrained in his mind for all the bad days, for all the rough calls. This memory could be his serenity. 

Eventually, exhaustion won out and the last thing TK knew was the feeling of a familiar hand rubbing his arm as a soft kiss was placed on his temple. The last thought he had was that this was home now, and TK knew he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on [tumblr](https://marjansmarwani.tumblr.com/)


End file.
